Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 315 Eastward Policy
Murad mobilized a large number of people from Mashhad's banks to inventory Daoud and his cronies' assets, and the more they inventoried them, the more astonished they became.

Countless gold and silver coins, as well as foreign currencies such as pounds, dollars, and francs. There were also many statues made of melted gold and silver. In Daoud's basement, the treasure had filled all six rooms.

I don't know if they studied Far Eastern history, but they even held a wealth-flaunting competition. One person threw a lavish banquet for ten days and ten nights, while another simply scattered gold coins in the street.

The most impressive one was Daoud. They discovered a collection of statues in the basement, which were made of melted gold and silver. The statues were exaggerated and bizarre in shape—some were holding a small mountain in one hand, some were a huge mouth devouring gold coins, and some were even life-size statues of Daoud himself, holding a globe inlaid with gemstones.

"Your Highness, Daoud's assets have been inventoried. Here is the list."

It would have been better if they hadn't opened it; once they did, it shattered everyone's expectations. There was already a great deal of gold and silver, countless plots of land and estates, as well as £25 and 130 million francs in banknotes. They had turned Herat into a cash cow.

In their final asset summary, they estimated the total value of all the property to be 7500 million rials. That's roughly a year and a half of Iran's fiscal revenue, and this is just Daoud's personal wealth.

"The people of Herat have been exploited by them for far too long. Every gold coin, every banknote, every bottle of poison here is irrefutable evidence of Daoud's crimes. We must show everyone what the price of greed and betrayal is."

This crackdown left Herat's government personnel with four-fifths of their original staff. This forced Murad to bring in personnel from elsewhere to maintain government operations, while simultaneously implementing a series of policies to stabilize the local situation. As for Kabul, Murad personally approved the railway construction project, requiring only Kabul to provide manpower.

"Your Highness, Mr. Anchorage from India has arrived, saying he is acting on orders from the Governor-General of India."

"Please let him in." Murad put down the documents in his hand, straightened his robes, and his face regained its calm expression.

A moment later, an Englishman in a well-tailored suit walked in. He was about forty years old, with a meticulously manicured beard, and his eyes held the arrogance and shrewdness characteristic of the British.

“Mr. Anchorage,” Murad stood up and nodded politely, “Welcome to Herat. May I ask what brings the Governor-General of India here?”

Anchorage smiled slightly and said in fluent Persian, “Your Highness, I have come to express our respect to you on the orders of the Governor. The reconstruction work in Herat is admirable, and the Governor greatly appreciates your talent.”

Murad sneered inwardly, but his face remained impassive. "Thank you for your concern, Governor. The revival of Herat cannot be achieved without the support of all parties."

Anchorage took a document from his pocket and handed it to Murad. “Your Highness, the Governor is very interested in the railway project in Kabul. He believes that this railway will not only benefit Herat and Kabul, but also promote trade prosperity throughout the region. Therefore, he is willing to provide technical and financial support to assist you in completing this great project.”

Now Murad has to admire the British for their keen sense of smell; the railway project was only announced a few days ago, and they sent people over.

"Your Highness, you may not be aware that railway construction is a complex and arduous undertaking. Without sufficient technology and experience, it's difficult to complete successfully. We in Britain have extensive experience in this area and can provide you with the most professional assistance." Indeed, Britain possessed the best technology. However, all of this came with conditions, and judging from what they had done in India, even the most audacious Nader Shah had to yield to Queen Victoria.

Murad’s tone was firm and unwavering: “Mr. Anchorage, we appreciate the Governor’s concern, but you’ve come to the wrong place. This project was approved by the Shah. You should go to Tehran, not Herat.”

Murad immediately dodged the question. Anchorage had expected Murad to refuse, but this was a way to give them a way out. Anchorage bowed slightly and turned to leave the study.

“Your Highness,” Chabaz said in a low voice as he entered through a side door, “Anchorage’s arrival is clearly a test of our attitude. The British will not easily relinquish control of this railway.”

Murad nodded. "That's right. We must strengthen the defenses of the border. I'm afraid the Emir won't be able to stop the British attack. If necessary, we will also have to enter Peshawar."

Murad's gaze fell on the huge map hanging on the study wall, his finger slowly tracing the route from Herat to Peshawar. On the map, Kabul resembled a fragile chess piece, sandwiched between British-controlled India and Iran. His finger finally stopped at Peshawar, the gateway to the Indian subcontinent and a strategic location long coveted by the British.

“The British won’t be satisfied with just controlling the railway,” Murad said in a low, calm voice. “Their goal is the entire region. If they control Kabul, the next step will be Peshawar, then Herat.”

Shabazz walked to the map, his brow furrowed. "Your Highness," he said, "if we rashly enter Peshawar, it might provoke a strong reaction from the British. They have already established a massive military presence in India, and we may not be their match."

"Indeed, but we can't let the British into Kabul at will. Do they think this is their backyard, where they can come and go as they please?"

“The British certainly treated this place as their backyard,” Shabazz whispered. “What they did in India is the best proof. First the merchants, then the army, and finally the entire country was swallowed up by them.”

Murad continued, "The British thought they could conquer this place with a few warships and a few thousand soldiers, just like they did in India," a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "but they were wrong. Every mountain and every river here will be their nightmare."

To persuade Britain to cease its interference here, their troops must be prevented from entering. The Khyber Pass, where Peshawar is located, is the most important gateway.

He went to his desk and quickly wrote a letter: “Tell Emil that Herat will always be his support. If he needs it, we can provide weapons and supplies. But most importantly, he must show unwavering resolve.”

If Iran can secure Kabul's support, its position in Afghanistan will improve significantly. This is something Britain doesn't want to see, and they will certainly use the military to achieve their goals. It remains to be seen how things will turn out this time.

(End of this chapter)